Autism Speaks facts for kids
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| Founded | February 11, 2005 |
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| Founders |
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| Merger of |
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| Legal status | 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization |
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Services | Awareness, family services, advocacy |
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President and CEO
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Keith Wargo |
| Joe Vanyo | |
| Subsidiaries | Delivering Scientific Innovation for Autism LLC, Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism Inc, Autism Speaks Canada |
Autism Speaks Inc. is a non-profit group in the United States. It works to raise awareness about autism. It is also the biggest organization in the U.S. that funds autism research.
Autism Speaks helps fund studies about autism. It also runs programs to teach families, governments, and the public about autism.
The organization was started in February 2005. Bob Wright and his wife Suzanne created it. They started it a year after their grandson Christian was diagnosed with autism.
In the same year it began, Autism Speaks joined with another group called Autism Coalition for Research and Education. Later, it merged with the National Alliance for Autism Research in 2006. It also joined with Cure Autism Now in 2007.
Some people in the autism rights movement and neurodiversity groups believe autism is not a disease. They think it does not need to be "cured." These groups have criticized Autism Speaks for trying to find a cure. In 2016, Autism Speaks removed the word "cure" from its main goal statement.
Contents
History of Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks was started in February 2005. Bob Wright, who was a leader at General Electric, and his wife Suzanne founded it. They started the group after their grandson Christian was diagnosed with autism.
The organization began with a large donation of $25 million. This money came from The Home Depot founder Bernie Marcus. He was also on the group's board for several years.
Since it started, Autism Speaks has joined with three other autism groups. These mergers helped combine efforts to fund research and support people with autism.
In 2005, Autism Speaks merged with the Autism Coalition for Research and Education. In early 2006, it joined with the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR). NAAR was the first U.S. non-profit group focused on autism research.
In 2007, Autism Speaks completed its merger with Cure Autism Now (CAN). CAN was founded in 1995 by Jonathan Shestack and Portia Iversen.
Key People and Public Figures
In January 2008, Geraldine Dawson became Autism Speaks' chief science officer. She is a child psychologist. In April 2010, the famous artist Yoko Ono became its first "Global Autism Ambassador."
Autism Speaks has used characters like "Wubbzy" from Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! as a mascot. In 2019, they featured Julia from Sesame Street in public service ads. These ads encouraged early autism screening.
In May 2015, Bob Wright stepped down as chairman. Brian Kelly took his place. Co-founder Suzanne Wright took time off in November 2015. She had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She passed away in July 2016.
Mark Roithmayr led Autism Speaks from 2005 to 2012. Liz Feld took over as president in June 2012. Angela Timashenka Geiger became president in February 2016. In October 2021, Keith Wargo became the new president and CEO.
Autism Speaks Canada, the group's Canadian branch, announced it would close on January 31, 2025. The main U.S. branch continues to operate.
What Autism Speaks Does
Autism Speaks and the groups it joined have funded research into autism. They also work to raise public awareness. They do outreach activities for families, governments, and the public.
Research Efforts
Autism Speaks has helped make people more aware of autism research. They have raised money for studies. They also talk to Congress to get more public funds for research.
Their work has helped change research goals in the U.S. They shifted focus from basic science to practical uses. This means putting what is known into action.
As of 2008, Autism Speaks supported research in four main areas:
- Causes: This looks at genetic and environmental factors that might lead to autism. It includes searching for genes and studying environmental effects.
- Biology: This studies cells, the brain, and the body. It focuses on how the brain develops.
- Diagnosis: This includes studying how common autism is and finding ways for early diagnosis.
- Therapies: This looks at medicines, behavior help, and other ways to support people with autism. It also includes treatments for other health issues that can happen with autism.
Autism Speaks funds the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE). This is a collection of DNA and family information. Researchers worldwide can use it to study autism.
They also fund the Autism Tissue Program. This program manages and shares brain tissues donated for autism research. These donations are very important for understanding autism's causes.
Autism Speaks supports the Clinical Trials Network. This network focuses on new medical treatments. They also support the Toddler Treatment Network. This group creates new ways to help babies and toddlers.
Autism Speaks believes that vaccines are safe for most children. They are important for stopping serious diseases like measles and mumps. The group recognizes that some people might have bad reactions to vaccines. They support research to find out why this happens.
Since June 2014, Autism Speaks has worked with Google. They have a project called Mssng (pronounced "missing"). This project aims to collect and study the DNA of 10,000 families affected by autism. The goal is to create the world's largest database of autism genetic information. It runs on Google's cloud-based system.
Awareness Campaigns and Events
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Autism Speaks supported the 2006 short film Autism Every Day. This film was made to show the daily lives of families with autistic children. It aimed to capture the real challenges they faced.
In December 2007, Suzanne Wright met with Sheikha Moza bint Nasser of Qatar. They talked about getting the United Nations to recognize World Autism Awareness Day. Qatar introduced the idea, and the resolution was passed. This day is now observed on April 2 each year.
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Suzanne Wright also helped start the Light It Up Blue campaign. This campaign raises awareness for World Autism Awareness Day and Autism Awareness Month. As part of this, famous buildings are lit up in blue. These include the Empire State Building in New York City and the CN Tower in Toronto.
Autism Speaks volunteers also ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange each year. This has been a tradition since 2008. In 2017, President Donald Trump lit the White House in blue. This was a promise he made to Suzanne Wright.
In November 2013, Suzanne Wright wrote an article for Autism Speaks. Some autistic people and their families felt the article did not show their lives accurately. John Elder Robison, an autistic self-advocate who worked with the group, resigned after this article.
How Autism Speaks Spends Money
Autism Speaks spends money on its mission to help people with autism. This includes funding research and running awareness programs.
In 2018, Autism Speaks spent $19.6 million on employee benefits. Angela Geiger, who was the president then, earned over $642,000. This was more than double what any other leader at the group earned.
As of 2020, Charity Navigator gives Autism Speaks a rating of three out of four stars. This rating looks at how well a charity manages its money and how open it is.
See also
- Autistic Pride Day
- Autism Sunday
